figuring out

verb

present participle of figure out
as in solving
to find an answer for through reasoning a book of brainteasers that even a really clever person won't have an easy time figuring out

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of figuring out For most of us, wedding-gift etiquette is figuring out whether the newlyweds already have a blender. — Merle Ginsberg, HollywoodReporter, 3 July 2026 The effective use, figuring out the right prompting strategy is extremely important for people to understand. — Megan Poinski, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026 From here, the team is figuring out the best ways to integrate the necessary additional components without making MIR any larger. — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 25 June 2026 Yet looking back there from here much of the drama was in the slow logic of figuring out how and why. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026 For anyone figuring out how to improve gut health, that points right back to those same whole foods. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 18 June 2026 Part of the delight of doing something so intimate is figuring out the scale of your performance. — Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 18 June 2026 And that has everyone figuring out right now how to present the semi-tally on July 8. — Michael Schneider, Variety, 12 June 2026 And so, one of the real forefronts in the field right now is figuring out how to solve the delivery problem for all these other tissue types. — Quanta Magazine, 11 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for figuring out
  1. solving
  2. unraveling
  3. answering
  4. working out
  5. resolving
Verb
  • So solving the trade talent gap means producing more journeymen.
    — Ryan Craig, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • Nature, however, has been solving this problem for millions of years.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 2 July 2026
Definition of solving
Verb
  • Latvia’s Ostapenko is playing with less pressure, but is just as prone to unraveling on court as Sabalenka has been of late.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 2 July 2026
  • The deal that built the modern internet is quietly unraveling, and most business leaders have not noticed yet.
    — Sandy Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026
Definition of unraveling
Verb
  • In my view, an especially helpful approach to answering such questions is to revisit the towering but neglected influence of the French philosopher Montesquieu on the founding of this country.
    — Robert A. Ballingall, The Conversation, 2 July 2026
  • In practice, this means deliberately re-engaging in small, concrete activities, such as a short walk, a shower or answering one message, specifically because those actions are small enough to complete even at low motivation.
    — Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
Definition of answering
Verb
  • That pays for 110 personnel working out of six fire stations, a training division and the administrative office.
    — Noah Daly, Idaho Statesman, 8 July 2026
  • Holly Williams, a foreign correspondent working out of Istanbul for CBS News since 2012, and Mariana van Zeller, a journalist for National Geographic Channel, are both said to remain in contention.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of working out
Verb
  • Owners and employees spend time troubleshooting systems, managing updates, resolving compatibility issues and maintaining multiple vendor relationships.
    — Damini Sood, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026
  • But the president's signature blockade has now delayed the overwhelmingly bipartisan housing bill, which both parties were hoping to use as an example of resolving the affordability crisis.
    — Garrett Downs, CNBC, 2 July 2026
Definition of resolving

Browse Nearby Words

figuring on
figuring out
filament
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Cite this Entry

“Figuring out.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/figuring%20out. Accessed 10 Jul. 2026.

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